Sometimes It's Not Planned
by Desertkitt
Summary: Shivalry Lynn's life is turned upside down when a certain silver haired demon brings his war into her apartment. Literally. But if all's fair in love and war, why does it all seem so unfair? SesshxOC Being re-written
1. Blank Check

**Prelude**

I have seen Gods rise and fall.

I have watched Empires build themselves up high and tumble to their knees.

I have watched the human race evolve and develop. I am thousands of years old, more powerful than the seas, stronger than the forces of Mother Nature and more resilient than the mountains. I am more majestic than time and as ageless as the wind. I am Sesshomaru, Lord and Keeper of the Western Lands.

I have watched as Youkai became revered and worshiped as Gods with many names; Aphrodite, Hades, Zeus. I have seen their half-human offspring become legends such as Hercules, Achilles, and Helen. Around the turn of the century I watched my kind be tamed by the human race. Starting with the Europeans who decided to take the 'damned' out of my kind by turning us into something mythological that all people could relate to; animorphs. Then the Celts, who preferred calling us Fae.

As insulting as these titles were, as demeaning and pathetic and insulting, there was power to be gained in every new title, in every new name. Despite the hunts for the 'damned' most of us lived through these personas of us… And then America was discovered. The Native Americans were a huge influence in making our kind more attractive. I had always enjoyed and almost admired the spirit of the Americans, the innovative way that they thought and the openness of their minds. Maybe that was why I chose to flee the choking population of humans in Japan to the States.

My lands, shortly thereafter, were turned into a preservation; the title left unclaimed; the humans passing down the story that the heir was lost in one of the many wars that decimated and destroyed those people. In America I was surprised to see the lack of fear and on occasion _envy_ of humans who _wanted_ to be werewolves, vampires, ghouls, witches and all other kinds of creatures.

However, despite our growing popularity in the States, and even across the oceans as the American culture became _the_ culture to be; there were those that hated us, and always have. The ones who couldn't accept something different, something more powerful. I however, passed through quietly, gaining fortunes while slipping through life as a beggar. Avoiding the claims of Vampire or werewolf by keeping painfully alert and horribly silent. Slowly I watched my dominion become nothing more than a suburban jungle of humans, with their filthy lives and pathetic goals.

Somewhere around the 18 century, I realized all of a sudden that human lives were short. Sometimes as short as it took for me to breathe. My hate towards these sad and pitiful creatures began to diminish. These creatures, these humans that I was being forced to interact with more frequently everyday, could not even grasp the concept of one hundred years- let alone the thousands I had already lived. As the nineteenth century rolled around an epiphany came one night while watching one man die and another couple give birth within just hours of each other- though I lived forever, they had only a short time. Everything they did impacted them much more strongly, more suddenly, affected their lives for forever. The realization was almost painful. My hate was directed towards a people that would never know, or care. They would be dead before they realized, or even were able to guess at this inbred sense of superiority versus their inferiority. Which, in the end, was the cause of my hate. These humans, I began to understand, were the fragile embodiment of everything evil and weak within myself.

That's when I began my corporation. I don't know how it turned into something so big, or how I lasted through the years without being burned at stake, or murdered, or worse. But I had, and now I was one of the richest men, sought after for parties, lusted by women and men, and yet… Nothing made me forget Rin, nothing could chip away at me like she did. Though I had a thousand year long revelation that made me realize my fathers convictions and meanings, I still hadn't learned to enjoy human company. Nor did I learn how to let them melt the ice that had frozen anything that felt after my love had passed.

And I knew that, though in a much different way from when I was someone to never look at twice, I had become the same demon I was before humans had ever entered my heart. I was ruthless at what I did, seizing assets, corporations, and ripping them apart; selling them for more than what they were worth, all the while looking the part of the heartless bastard. I was a God at what I did, and worshipped rightly so.

However, every now and again, I would escape to a sanctuary. Oddly enough, a national preserve around the tree Inu Yasha had been pinned to, and I would once again relive my older glory days, surrounded by lesser demons than myself, able to freely walk around in my slacks and pin striped suit. I would travel then, walking the paths of old, reliving my memories and sometimes living the days where Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un would be by my side. My constant companions. The ache I felt in my chest would become nearly unbearable before I could reach my domain and I would return as quickly as possible to the new life I had created. I felt caged in by the times, trapped by the closeness of humans and limited open space.

To suit the times I had cropped my hair, covered my markings with make up and would wear colored contacts. And I never, ever transformed into my true self. It had been so long, I almost forgot what I was. I wore the finest of clothes the times had to offer, I really enjoyed the freedom that slacks and the shirts of the new millennium gave my body. Though I missed the elegance and finery of the cloth I wore in days of yore.

For a number of years I was considered the most desirable bachelor this side of the Mississippi, lately I was becoming the most untamable, yet still oh so desirable man, period. World wide. Women today were stupid and dull witted. Their thoughts never went beyond their sex life and vanity. My aloof behavior, my cruel attitude, made them want me more. It was disgusting in a way that gave me power, and I used what I needed to get what I wanted. No one ever was hurt because they were in it for the popularity; I was in it for their property, their assets, something ulterior, just like them. This was a world, I learned quickly, that was powered largely by sex. I missed the simplicity of being able to swing my sword or flex my muscle and having the power I needed.

But life was nothing like it used to be, if Jaken were still alive to see me in my newest power, he would be disgusted. Working along side humans. Though there were many demons who devoted their lives to being sharks, the mafia, or overlords in third world countries, there were many more humans willing to do the work that I was not. The meaningless things, such as meetings with people that I had destroyed, or people who wanted in.

When I awoke today the fog of dream had misted my vision. I had been dreaming of Rin, but as I reached for her the vision faded. With the alarm buzzing in my ear and a wave of depression cresting in my heart, nothing had changed. I covered my body with the new style of clothing, I had chosen a dark outfit for today, a black suit, dark blue shirt and black tie with a singular, mostly eclipsed moon on the bottom. It was my icon for the company. I put in my colored contacts, brown, just to throw people off. My light hair and skin, then dark eyes, very off-putting for those that worked with me, or against me. I covered my markings, something I did regrettably each morning, wishing ever so badly to just walk through the doors with these showing. I could call them a stupid mistake during my rebel days… it's what I told the women who bedded with me, the ones who saw the purple markings that ran the length of my torso, on my hands, and the crescent on my forehead.

I stood back from the mirror, observing myself. I was no longer beautiful, but very handsome. If I had really wanted, with this look, I could have passed the audition for Lestat, and almost any other vampire in reality. I sighed, turning towards the door, calling the local coffee shop and ordering straight black. This was an era of convenience, and I took advantage of that. As I was walking to the store I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my email, checking for any local business' going under, any stock that could be swamped and taken, anyone who was willing to buy my latest find, a nice old cotton business that couldn't keep up with the times, and couldn't refuse my offer. Of course, I had a few small businesses besides my own that did their original thing, but were owned by me, completely while continuing their original work. It helped the local economy and made me something of a hero in those small towns. Small town business men didn't forget a favor when they were given one.

I stopped at the coffee shop and sat down with the hot drink at a table behind some girl with a laptop, a quick glance told me she was doing a report for some advanced college class. There was a man in his fifties dying of cancer at the counter, the boy who served me my drink was busy texting someone for tonight. But these people did not intrigue me the way the blond across the shop did.

He was short and thin, his eyes shifty, his false image wavered as soon as he saw me. I smiled, showing him some fang and a sweat broke out along his hair line. The demons of this era, of this nation were so pathetically weak. And then I felt it. An ominous force that shook me, I hadn't felt power like this in years and a tremor of excitement shot through my body, I hadn't felt power directed at me in years. I stood, a slightly red haze blurring my vision and in my haste spilled my coffee, not only on the girl, but all over her laptop. She screeched in indignation, but that was the least of my worries. If I didn't leave this vicinity, there would be many pointless casualties.

However, this girl didn't seem to think so. She stood, which surprised me, I didn't figure she'd be at all attractive, and though she wasn't as sexy as most of the women I had known she could have passed. Her hair was a deep brown red, her green eyes flashed. Her skin was dark, though if it was artificial or real I could not tell.

"You fucking had better pay for this." She stepped closer, and I was amazed. Even if I was mistaken for human, I knew I was intimidating. "That had all my homework on it, my music…"

The power that was meant for me intensified. Angered at this woman, I pushed by her, racing outside of the store. Cautious I stopped long enough to listen, to observe. To find out what dumb shit would attack this Lord Sesshomaru outside a coffee store. Apparently I took too long because she was right there standing behind me.

"What are you doing?" She yelled, "What are you going to do about my laptop? That thing cost me two months of money."

I winced. If nothing else, I understood money in this world and I knew she must be close poor. I felt guilty, though she may or may not have realized it. I turned to her, whipping out a pre-written check.

"Here, have this. Fill out whatever numbers you need." I watched her for a moment; sure she would be satisfied with a blank check. I then began to walk away, wishing I could use more of my power, but so many humans walking around, and my reputation, I would be ruined for the rest of this life.

I gritted my teeth. The power was building, about ready to hit its pinnacle and explode, and I was still in a mostly human district. And there was that human girl, still following me.

"Look," She tried to explain, "This is cool and all, and I could use it for a ton of things, believe you me! But I only want you to pay for my laptop… I can't accept this." And then she did something that no human had ever done to me before. She grabbed my jacket, stopping me in place. "Listen to me, would you?"

I hadn't expected her yank to be so forceful, and the power had snapped, it was heading right for me. In a moment of panic and adrenalin, I fell. Not only did I dodge the bullet, but I covered the frail human from any back lash or debris. Only when the shot had passed and the whistling of the concentrated power had faded I stood, dusting myself off. If not for this stupid, ignorant human girl, I would be dead. I helped her to her feet, the check in her hand now destroyed. Her eyes were wide as she gazed at the building behind me.

"What kind of fucking weapon can do that?"


	2. 1 Million

I followed the girls gaze, to where there used to be a wall. Apparently this power that had been shot at me had the ability to turn something's own mass into a destructive force, making it destroy itself from the inside out. The wall to the school building we had stopped in front of was now gone, nothing but jagged edges and fragments from the implosion were left.

A mental image attacked me just then. What if that power had gotten the human? Worse yet, what if it had gotten me? I'm sure that I could have dodged most the attack, or even reflected it had I my swords- however, in this day and age weapons were seen as terrorism or murder. Nothing about status or wealth, just evil and destruction. Which, I conceded, went hand in hand for my kind. Or rather, for me.

I turned to the human female, who was clearly in a state of shock. "Go home." I commanded her, "Go home and forget about ever meeting me."

Her eyes shifted to me, seeing nothing. Rolling my eyes I grabbed her shoulders, staring at her squarely in the face, "GO. HOME."

And to my surprise, she just looked at me, right back- as though some fragment of her soul knew me. She nodded mutely, that auburn hair carrying her scent in the breeze. A scent that was slightly familiar, and for a second it was deep chocolate eyes I was looking into, raven locks swayed in the breeze, a girlish, innocent giggle reverberated in my ears.

_"Lord Sesshomaru"_ She seductively cooed, the kimono draped over the lightly tanned and freckled skin.

A loud squeak shocked me out of my trance, and the vision was gone, like cherry blossoms in the wind. Coming back to myself I realized that I was holding, not my Rin, but the girl from the coffee shop. Startled I released her, "Go now." I growled, letting some of my demonic power loose, enough to scare the girl away. The look she gave me wasn't frightened or fearful, but instead one of sad knowledge and a certain kindred spirit- the same look that I had seen in the eyes of an orphaned child so very, very long ago.

She smiled sadly and strode away; forgetting all about her laptop, her homework, and me. I made a mental note to send her a new laptop and a bonus check consisting of quite a few zeros. It would be easy enough finding her. Not many people had that look nor that scent. Though I had lived thousands of years, I had not come to find another who smelled like that in all this time and my nose, though it had not been put to use in years, was still as good as it used to be.

I wrote the school a check, promising them that someone would be by later to fix the building, if they could close off the room, and keep it quite or else the whole school would be next. The news crews that had rushed to the scene were a bitch to fight through, but with enough charm and the right words I managed to make my way out of the crowd that had gathered around the school and was able to collect a new coffee, grabbing the girls laptop as I continued on my way to work.

I walked the rest of the way to the large building, located, oddly enough, in Washington. There was a light snow on the ground, which I found delightful. I loved the soft crunch beneath my shoes. I walked into the imposing building. Everyone hushed as I walked through, only my secretary, Sue, had the courage and balls (figuratively) to look me in the eyes and smile and nod. She even offered me a cheery holiday greeting, which was very unusual. As I opened my office door, I knew why.

"Sue!" I growled. She hadn;t even bothered to inform me. Probably because she didn't want me to be getting angry and throwing them out before I could see them. It seemed that while I was busy, Inu Yasha had dropped by. That was weird; we hadn't seen each other since he had gone back through the well with Kagome five years after they married. They went back and forth very frequently, but after I had taken Rin back from the village of Kaede I never bothered myself with him. I kept tabs until they went to the world of now, where my informants were unable to reach. The thousands of years for me were probably just barely a decade for him- and it made for very awkward family conversations.

And yet there he stood. My younger brother. A bastard and a half breed. He wore a t-shirt and jeans, tennis shoes, he cropped his dark, dyed hair short, but longer than my own, he wore a cap over his ears, but left his eyes for the world to see. Kagome was beside him, her belly large, a child beside them at least four years old. I will admit only to myself I was jealous.

"Sesshomaru." Kagome greeted, nervous. She hadn't imagined seeing me in her world, I'm sure. And especially not with all that time making me stronger and nearly invincible. "We heard about the incident that happened earlier… what is going on?"

I frowned slightly, my eyes glued to the dark hair child who took after her father.

"Sessmayu." The child cooed through her under developed palette. "Uncee Sessmayu."

"Uncle Sesshomaru?" I looked at Inu Yasha, who just shrugged.

"You are her uncle. What was I supposed to do, lie?" His look turned serious, "But about that incident, what's going on, Sesshomaru? Is someone after you?"

I smiled, fighting a cold laugh, "You know what I do for a living, brother. Of course someone is after me. I just need to figure out whom and get rid of the imposing factor."

"And what about the girl who was with you?" Kagome asked, her voice turned to steel.

"How do you know about that?" I looked at Inu Yasha, who just stared at me like I was stupid, I sighed. "The girl went home, she will be nothing if I am the true target of this person."

"Unless," Inu Yasha continued, getting angry; not much had changed except our feelings towards one another. "This demon is pissed and figures she's someone important to you, or wants revenge for the failed murder attempt."

I massaged my temples. I did not want to have to take care of another human. "If it makes you feel better, I will have people watching her, and I will personally confront her after work today."

Kagome sighed, obviously relieved. "Yes, that would be best."

Inu Yasha bristled, "But-"

"But she doesn't know us, how would she interpret us busting on her door step, a pregnant woman with a baby and a dude wearing a California Cubs hat, telling her she's in grave danger?" She looked at him seriously, "Sesshomaru would be the best to deal with this."

Inu Yasha quietly agreed, and I stood, shaking his hand. Our relationship, over the years, had turned from hate and jealousy to one of mutual understanding and agreement. I watched them as they began towards the door, when the little girl broke free of Kagome's hand, raced over to me and planted a little hug around my knees.

I looked at Kagome, who was smiling, Inu Yasha was sad for a moment and tried to shield it from me, but I saw it. Did he feel bad for me, did he feel bad that this child wrapped around me was reminding me of Rin when she was young?

Angered, a little embarrassed, I unraveled her hands. She beamed up at me. "I love you Uncee Sessmayu."

Surprised I looked at Inu Yasha, who was beaming with pride, "It took her so long to learn those words." There was a silence and the little girl repeated herself.

"I love you Uncee Sessmayu." Her eyes started to water, she began to question herself.

"I… I… I… l-love you too?" She squealed with joy and raced back to Kagome, who refused to meet my eyes.

Inu Yasha came around, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Thank you, Sesshomaru. You have no idea what that mean's to us, what it means to Kimberly."

I could only nod. Long after they left I was immersed in memories of Rin. I hadn't expected to fall in love with her, at first she was more of a daughter. She was someone I could teach and love, even if it wasn't apparent to anyone but her and Jaken. And then she grew older, and she began to realize what she felt for me was more than a daughter should feel, and in a moment of grief she explained herself to me, throwing herself prostrate before my feet.

And that's when we made love, and it was more precious than I had ever had with any demoness. She taught me what it felt for my father, and as time wore on, she began to age, and soon her hair was grey, and often, in the night I would watch her breathe and panic when her chest stalled. For some reason though, we never had children despite the many times we were together. I regretted that one fact, and my foolish mistake, and then she died.

Jaken, my one other confidant who followed me to the ends of the earth, who I could consider my one true friend. He was murdered by a demon showing off some powers in the early 1600's. A stray burst of energy killed ten people, including Jaken. That was the beginning of my deepest hatred for life and oddly enough the beginning of my revelation about humans.

I sighed, wiping away these painful memories. I stood and walked to the dry bar I had hidden away in a cupboard in my office, pouring myself a scotch. The alcohol did nothing to me, but I did enjoy the taste and the slight burn as I swallowed. I looked at the clock, somehow two hours had slipped away. Sighing I frowned and with the pressing of a button, I began to fulfill my promises to my reluctant family.

"Sue!" I called to my secretary, "I am leaving early today, please postpone all appointments."

"And what should I say the reason is?"

"Tell them it is urgent family business." In a line of work such as mine, family business was a dire, important matter. As in one of yours was killed by one of theirs.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir." The intercom clicked.

I quickly gathered my things and began towards the downtown district, following the smell of a memory long past.


	3. 2 Million

**AN: Mild gore!**

**Chapter 2**

I sat down at the small table a quarter to six. I loved this little out of the way coffee shop. The smell, the look, the way the boys behind the counter looked. My usual was a frappuccino, but today I passed it up for some real caffeine. After working two part time jobs and attending 18 credits of college, I was exhausted. In the middle of my health paper I saw him. It was as though God had carved an angle and put him on this planet just to torture girls like me. I looked at him, observed him. He was obviously wearing colored contacts, but I couldn't understand why such a mundane color as brown. His silver hair was cropped and slicked back, his expensive suit just screamed 'rich' and I could tell by the way he moved and the way his suit sat on his body that he wasn't just ripped, but he was strong- the kind of muscle made for doing, not show. Not a guy girls like me could touch, but looking never hurt. Unfortunately as he sat he paid no attention to me, instead he seemed more intent on the small blond man across the cafe.

_Figures._ I sighed, _The handsome ones are always gay._

I resumed writing my paper, up until this semi-warm liquid gushed all over me and my laptop. Stunned I let out a little shriek, getting everyone's attention. There were gasps and snickers as my computer popped and fizzled. Pissed I leaped up as the perpetrator stood, not looking at me but focusing at something... away. I didn't think he even heard me yelling at him. He pushed by me with a short, cold glance that saw nothing and raced outside. Stunned I stood for a few seconds, people in the cafe already tired and bored of the scene. I raced outside after him, he was **not** going to get away with this.

"What are you doing?" I yelled, placing my hands on my hips indignantly, "What are you going to do about my laptop? That thing cost me two months of money."

_A __reaction_! I thought, watching him wince slightly. And then he opened a check book, signing and ripping out a check without even looking at it. I looked closely, his eyes were searching, his body was tense- I could swear his hair was standing on end, like a dog ready to attack.

"Here, have this. Fill out whatever numbers you need." He said, his voice- the first time I had heard it, sent ripples through my body. I felt his eyes on me for a second, a slight blush graced my cheeks. I looked up and opened my mouth to say something when I noticed that he had somehow snuck away. It was almost comical the distance between us in such a short amount of time.

I gritted my teeth. _That damn bastard!_ I ran to catch up, slowing down slightly when I finally reached him. _Damn, what a pace!_ I growled mentally.

"Look," I tried to explain, "This is cool and all, and I could use it for a ton of things, believe you me! But I only want you to pay for my laptop… I can't accept this." Infuriatingly enough he ignored me, still walking away. In a moment of anger I grabbed his jacket and yanked, "Listen to me, would you?"

I didn't realize I grabbed him that forcefully. One second he was standing, walking away, and in the next he had fallen on top of me, his body was heavy and stifling, it was hot, unbearably hot... an din a moment I realized that the heat wasn't coming from him at all. When he stood I looked, my eyes already focused on the devastation. The man, gorgeous as he was dusting himself off as though nothing had happened, did not distract me from the demolished school wall. He pulled me up, though my brain felt like it was muddling through soup.

"What kind of fucking weapon can do that?"

He turned and looked at the wall, and seemed mildly impressed. _No, _I thought, _No. That can't be right... who would be impressed with this kind of destruction and chaos?_ A thought struck me then, _What if it had hit me? What if..._ I looked around for a moment and noticed that the debris that had fallen around myself and noticed how large the rubble was, and where exactly it had landed. There was no way in Hell that a normal human could have taken the blows of wall that large and survive... and the way the debris surrounded where we had fallen..._ Did he... did he save me?_

Before I realized what was happening he was yelling at me. Obviously my brain had been somewhere else, I hadn't even noticed that he had been talking to me.

"GO. HOME." He stated, looking me square in the face.

The look in his eyes, the way he was cementing my attention; it tugged on me, something deep inside. A twinge. I couldn't look away. And then something happened, his face changed. Not really obvious, but in the lines, the muscles... his facial expression relaxed, his eyes warmed, his hands went from my shoulders to my arms and finally slipped around my back.

"My beloved..." he whispered, nuzzling my ear.

I let out a small squeak, completely snapped out of my shock. With that small noise, I felt, rather than saw, his walls go back up. His muscles tensed slightly, his demeanor changed again. He looked at me, hard, with cold and unfeeling eyes. So different from moments before. "Go now." He growled.

I looked at him for a while, my body missing the warm embrace from his body. I felt his sorrow, I could relate to his pain. Whomever he saw when he was holding me, whomever had hurt him this badly, I could relate. I gave him a small grin and turned, leaving him just as he said. But somehow... it hurt.

* * *

I sighed, trudging home through the trees and garbage, weaving in and out of people bustling through the streets. In my mind I imagined that I was being followed by my latest crush, but I knew it was a silly idea. That man would never come to this part of town. I blushed, thinking of how I treated him.

_I grabbed him, for God's sake! And I cussed him out. Oh my God, how stupid can I be!_ I moaned out loud, I was a hopeless case of loser. _And that huge explosion!_ I laughed at myself, I was seriously stuck on this man and the events that happened not two hours ago. I closed my eyes, leaning against my complex door.

Sighing, I pulled out my keys. I looked up. It was a three story dilapidated mess of a place, but it was good enough for two college students, though honestly I hated the smell. Like old cabbage and cat piss. Unlocking the door to our apartment I kicked off my shoes and trudged into the living room just to see my roommate sitting on a planet chair with a bowl of Chex and some news channel playing. I rolled my eyes, setting down my keys and slothed on into the kitchen. She picked up on my attitude immediately.

"What happened?" She hollered, muting the television at once. I rolled my eyes and growled. I really didn;t want to talk about what a loser I was.

"Well, I went to the café, as usual to do my homework, when this really hoity-toity man walks in and spills his coffee all over me and my laptop, which is now trash. So I followed him out, totally pissed, and this explosion totally demolishes a school wall, and then he tells me to just forget about it. So here I am."

She snorted, rolling her eyes, "Bull shit, Shives. You are such a liar."

"But I'm not! It's true!" I sighed, leaning back, "And I could swear I've seen this man before… Hey! It's probably on the news!"

She huffed, switching from world news to the local channel, smiling smugly as nothing but murders and the latest stock signs were shown. Then on came a rather pretty reporter right outside of the coffee shop I was in earlier with large flashing letters saying 'Breaking News'.

"This is it!" I yelled, excited. Triumphant as her eyes shot wide open.

_"Today there was a mysterious attack on a local middle school in this area, where a wall was completely destroyed. We have some amateur footage, take a look."_ A clip played, showing a little bit of the silver hair and dark suited man walking out of the school building shaking hands with some of the school board. They replayed the first bit with my mystery man in slow motion standing right before the demolished wall. Even in blurry, awful pixilated footage he was drop dead sexy. I noticed though, that right before the film cut out there was a bright flash of light that I hadn't seen, but might have explained the intense heat I felt.

_"Our information is not concrete, but we believe that the man seen in this clip is our own Sesshomaru Yasha. The very popular and famous bachelor. Not only is he hunky, but he knows how to shark business' going under, along with being able to sweet-talk his way into any **ass**et,"_ the reporter gave a wink, "_he wants."_

The rest of what she said was lost to our shocked silence. My mouth dropped as a picture of him popped on the screen. "Oh my God!" I whispered. "That's him! That's the guy who fucked up my laptop."

She turned to me, in complete shock, "You took on this guy? And you don't even know who he is?"

"And you do?"

"Yes!" She shouted, "He's only every wet dream I've ever had!" She explained at my grimace, "Rich, handsome, powerful. Who wouldn't want that hunk of man in between their sheets?"

"Oh gag me."

"Just because you're lesbian." She waved her hand nonchalantly.

"I am not!" I blushed furiously, grabbing a carton of milk from the fridge, "I'm just really picky!"

She was silent, the tv was still going. Curious I called out to her with no reply. I called out again, still nothing. Getting a little angry I walked around the table looking to her from the breakfast bar. "Hey, you alive?" She looked at me, her eyes frightened.

"What was it that attacked you?" Her voice was shaken. "I mean... I mean..."

I was getting scared, "It attacked him, not me. It was after him…"

"But... what if it came after _you_? Are you sure that you're safe?" She looked back out the window, "We need to leave now, Shives. I've got a really bad feeling about all of this. It just seems to coincidental that you got off scotch free."

"But-"

"Shilvary Lynn!" She stood, forcing herself to move, "We need to go-"

There was a rumble that inturrupted her as she moved away from the chair, closer to me. We both froze, fear on our faces. I moved to the hallway, yelling for her to follow, but it was too late. Before I could realize what had happened there was a harsh, blinding light that flashed, hitting our complex with a force that I couldn't imagine. I fell behind the wall, scared and startled, and then it was gone. I stood, smiling.

"That was it Khirsten, just a little bit of light…" I looked around shocked as the walls were collapsing upon themselves. The complex was coming down. "Khris?" I yelled, desperate to get out. We needed to leave, but I couldn't find her.

And then I heard a moan. Hesitantly I looked down at this mass of flesh that was bubbling and exploding, eating itself. I screamed as one of its eyes exploded, spraying me with blood. Frantically I backed away tripping and falling over myself in my fear, scraping at the blood on me unsuccessfully, watching it smear and spread on my skin. In horror I watched as it crawled closer to me, bubbling, pussing, bleeding, spurting and oozing.

"Shhhiiiivveeesss…" And then her tongue exploded, blood spraying from her mouth and flowing down her face in a steady stream. She reached for me with a decrepit hand that was covered in boils of itself; the fingers were exploding digit by digit. My eyes widened in fear as Khirsten reached for me, and then her whole body doubled in on itself and exploded, covering me with her blood and entrails.

Ashamed to say, with the building falling down on me, I fainted.

When I came too, I was covered in debris, cut bruised and sore, though I couldn't see my blood through Khirsten's. And then it all came back to me. Remembering her, and her death, and how she knew that this would happen, I should have listened, I should have… I should have died in her place. I began to bawl, burying my face in the rubble around me, not bothering to move, too sore to want to.

And then I heard footsteps and shifting debris.

"We need to leave." Came a voice as the rubble was lifted off of me in a surprisingly gentle way. "I am sorry for your loss, I didn't realize they would… so many humans were lost in this stupid display of strength and anger… I am truly sorry."

I rubbed at my eyes, seeing that man from earlier. My mind couldn't process what he was saying. He seemed to be exasperated as I stared in numbness.

"Can you stand?" he asked, his hand twitching as though part of him knew he should help, but not wanting to. My eyes focused on the hilt attached to his side. It looked so out of place against his suit that it was comical. In fact, it was the only thing I could make my mind focus on.

I nodded, pushing myself up off the ground with unsteady legs. Much to my shame and surprise, I lied about being able to stand and collapsed, grateful that he was standing right there to catch me. I shut my eyes tight, leaning against his chest, and just cried. He wrapped his arms around me hesitantly. I barely noticed when he scooped me into his arms.

"We are going to be moving very fast." He warned, "I do not want you to move, open your eyes, or look down. Do you understand?"

His voice was much harsher than earlier. I managed a small 'yes', and then we were moving at a speed I couldn't comprehend without looking, and tempted as I was I nestled my face against his jacket, wrapping my arms around his neck as tightly as I could, unashamed or embarrassed at this display of closeness to another being.

And then we stopped.

"Open your eyes." He comanded, stepping away from me as quickly as possible.

I sighed a shaky breath, then opened my eyes. I was in a very immaculate, very huge room. It was gorgeous, but cold and stark. The furniture was white, the couch and the lazy-boy, there was a very fancy glass table in front of a wide sceen tv that didn't look used. He had two large paintings on either side of the television, one was of a crescent moon fallen on it's back, the other was some weird black and white and grey... mass. I walked on the plush grey carpet, the walls were a darker grey.

"Is there any color at all?" I asked him.

He just looked at me with his aloof eyes, saying nothing as if it didn't need to be said. I huffed a heavy breath. He turned away from me.

"I'm going to clean up the bathroom before you shower." I watched him walk down one of the long hallways and enter a door that was, shockingly, a bright wooden color. Amazed at the shock of color, I started that way, but forced myself to go the other way. Hesitantly I walked down the hallway, opening the first door I came to. It was a little room painted in a lilac color with pale green blinds over a fairly large window. There wasn't much in the actual room except for a low table and some cushions. I walked in, opening the closet door.

Inside were thousands of clothing articles from all different eras. There was a kimono type of outfit that was immaculate, a vest and shirt with the frills of maybe 18th century England, one sword was piled against the back wall, but it looked as though there was an place where a second had been resting for quite sometime. An image of the blade against his hip flashed into my mind. They were shoved in a corner off to the side. I grasped the shelf above the clothes to see if there was anything else, when my hand brushed against somethign furry. Startled I rubbed my hand hesitantly along it, getting a glimpse of white fur. Slowly I stood on tiptoe, reaching up. Heistantly I pulled down this huge, long white thing of fur. It was silky soft and before I could stop myself I was rubbing it against my cheek.

I heard footsteps coming this way, quickly I stuffed it back into the closet and closed the doors, then left the room and wandered back into the living room. He was already standing there, his eyes narrowed.

_He's pissed._ I thought to myself as he walked down the hall, opening the door to the room I went into. He was in there for a while when he came back out, slamming the door behind him. I noticed that the sword he had been carrying was gone.

"Never go into a room without asking my permission first." His eyes were narrow again.

"Why?" I asked innocently, "Do you have something to hide?"

He looked as though he had a thousand things to say, but locked them behind his teeth. And that's when I noticed the purple thing on his face. "What is that on your face?"

"Shower." He commanded.

"But-"

"Bathe!" He didn't yell, but the tone in his voice was one to be obeyed, and it pissed me off. _Why was I listening to this guy anyway? I don't know him and he's rude._ I reluctantly allowed my eyes to follow him as he began to walk away, glaring holes into his back._ He's all you got._ I reminded myself. I sighed, loosing this battle. He led me to the bathroom, which was huge and a surprisingly brilliant shock of color. The actual walls were golden, with accents of red and silver. "Wow." I whispered.

"Hand me your clothes." He reached out his hand.

Shocked I looked at him, "I am not changing in front of you!"

He stiffened, "Fine." he stepped outside of the door, "Now hand them to me." Reluctantly I obeyed.

"Are you going to wash them or something?" I asked, handing over my jeans.

"No, I am getting your sizes. I will be back with some new clothes in about thirty minutes, I expect you to be clean and waiting for my return." Before I could get a word in edgewise, he was gone.

I turned on the water, waiting for it to warm up, snooping through his drawers. I hadn't shaved in three months, and it was probably time. I sighed as I stepped into the running water.

_What an asshole!_ I complained to myself, washing my hair, _I mean... I..._ And then I started crying and couldn't stop. I curled into a little ball as the water pooled around my body, building higher and higher. I scrubbed my body clean, trying to erase the memories with the dirt and blood, I shaved my legs, then turned off the water and sat there for a bit, just praying. Something I should have been doing more often.

I wrapped a towel around me... only to realize that I had no clothes to be ready for him in. Sighing I dried off and walked down one of the halls, opening various doors to no avail. I came to some very interesting rooms that were very... peculiar, but not one I could call his. I went down the other hall, and the third door on the left side was the right one, I could tell. Wall length windows, a large crescent fallen down over the expansive bed that was white and red sheeted, purple and blue tints were all over the primarily silver room. There was a carved out spot on one of the walls with a thing of cover up on it.

I smiled, a little angry, _Of course he's not single! I mean, look at the guy!_ I sighed, walking into the closet. I grabbed a button up shirt that was huge and a pair of boxers. All his clothes were basically the same colors, dark on dark with a hint of white and silver. I shrugged, matched his personality I thought.

Bored I walked back into the living room, grasping the towel, not sure where to put it. And then my stomach growled. Exasperated I made it into his kitchen, which was easily the smallest room in the house, but there was a huge radio in the small hole in the wall that was originally intended to be a window. I turned on the radio, tuning it to the local news station, and then began to snoop through his cupboards.


	4. 3 Million

**CAUTION: Mild sexual/adult themes.**

**Chapter 3**

Glancing through the women's clothing was… perturbing for me, being a six foot something youkia male who happened to be famous with a semi-respectable reputation to uphold. I grabbed a black and a blue stripped beige C-36 bra, two pairs of jeans; one was size 9 the other size 11, and a couple of shirts that were casual, yet classy, for a girl. I may have been male, but one did not get to my position of power without knowing of the fashion do's and don'ts. I grimaced as an older woman walked by with her granddaughter.

The one reason I hated these richer people was they had a way of making everyone else feel as though they were doing something wrong. I grabbed the clothes, along with a pair of bikini style underwear that, I could tell by the previous pair, was more my taste than hers, and made my way to the cash register, all the while trying to convince myself I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was just shopping for… for... my daughter? A friend? A woman whose whole lifestyle and past was blow away because I had once again disregarded human life? Rin would have been disgusted with me. I shook my head, there was no time for thoughts of the past. There was no way for me to explain myself without being conspicuous and ending up in yet another tabloid with trash on it about my life that didn't exist to begin with.

So I didn't. I glared my way to the front of the line, placing my articles… _her_ articles on the counter when the woman turned to look at me from fighting with her register. She was profoundly attractive for a common woman who was of low class, though high enough to work at a store such as this. Her hair was flamboyantly brunette, her eyes a dashing color of blue. Her face was heart shaped, she was nice and curvy compared to some of the women in employment in this place, and she would have been a pleasant business venture, had she ever decided to "sell" her assets to me. I could smell her attraction, as well as her displeasure at the clothes I bought, and she was probably despairing at her low class standings.

"So..." she began, her voice was testing, prodding. It irked me. "What does a man like you need with clothes such as these?" She held up the pink, black and white stripped underwear I had picked out.

I cast a stony glare. I didn't need to explain myself to such a common woman who couldn't do better than cashier. She began to fidget with the tags and hangers, messing up a little more, duped and nervous under my gaze.

She had packed all the clothes into a plastic bag through her clumsy efforts and managing to keep the whole procedure less than twenty minutes. "Your total will be two hundred fifty one cents."

I reached for my wallet, contemplating handing her my credit card, but switching to pure cash. It was a definite show of power to come to a place where credit or debit was the most common form of payment. Cash was so rare she had to call her manager to help her give me back my change. I smiled at her coyly.

"Have a nice day." I grabbed my bag, exiting the building, but not so fast as to miss the man behind me in line speak with an awed tone.

"That was Sesshomaru…" His gasping reverence was mimicked by the others as they watched me walk out, "_The_ Sesshomaru Yasha…"

I climbed into my remodeled '61 convertible Ford Thunderbird, painted silver with purple-red flames melting into acid green, the effect was quite devastatingly cool, or so I thought. Many found my taste in cars to be juvenile but I found the mechanisms to be quite fascinating. How mint of humans to create a machine that mimicked the speed of the demons that they often could not out run. It was flattering, yet threatening, and the roar of the combustible engine underneath the tons of pounds of metal and glass was just as thrilling.

The thought of automobiles often made me contemplate the uncanny way humans often surrounded themselves with objects that caused more harm, put their frail bodies in more danger. It was fascinating trying to understand the point of a vehicle. Yes, it was faster transportation, but the rates of death by this mode of transportation were at least triple the ones caused back in the days of walking or carriage.

But today my thoughts only flickered to those things as my hands lightly encased the steering wheel. Today I had a meeting with a very sexy blonde, clothes to drop off at the Laundromat, and a very confused and angry woman to deal with back at the apartment. I sighed; it felt as though I were married.

I stopped by the Laundromat first, throwing the stained and battered clothes into a very cheap and bad smelling washer, adding the necessary quarters and soap to remove the dirt. I sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair across from a woman with three children. One was sick, spitting and blowing snot bubbles, the other was sleeping fitfully in the chair beside his mother. She also had a young girl with long dark brown hair and wide brown eyes and freckles.

I felt my heart seize at the familiarity of these features, and all too soon I was dreaming of Rin yet again. My mind was transported to her fifth year with me as my mate; she was at the age of twenty-two in human years. He body was finely curved and the silks and linens I clothed her in were nothing but flattering to her in every way. She had begun to wear her hair in an elegant bun with a single adornment of a shell I had picked from the beach and shown to her in a moment of tenderness.

It was an abalone shell fragment she had made into a necklace, but when the chain broke she turned it into a hair decoration. Her eyes, that particular day, were not as bright as they normally were. It was a day when she and Jaken had argued again. She had run into my room, interrupting a very important meeting with ToTosai and Inu Yasha. I didn't approve of my younger half-brother's idea to cross the well with Kagome, who was pregnant with his first child. We were holding a meeting discussing the future and how our past was affected by it, how the future changed.

She was in tears, the elegance of the way she had stopped short, bringing her left hand to her breast in the shock and embarrassment of being caught in such an emotional state. Her left hand entranced me for a moment, the way it paused over the fabric of her kimono, the third finger still scarred from the time she had fallen from a tree as she was trying to get a fruit some years before.

Later that night she had come to me, begging forgiveness from this Lord Sesshomaru; that was when I had crouched before her, raising her head, bringing her onto my lap. "My Rin," I had said, noticing her hair, her clothes, her shape, how the shades flattered her skin and hair and eyes. Even the three freckles below her left eye that she didn't grow out of. Before I could have stopped myself I found us locked in a passionate embrace, her arms wrestling around my neck, shoving the clothes and the fur out of the way, running her fingertips through my hair.

I had reclined against my bed, fighting her mouth with mine for dominance, which, in three moves of my hands, I could easily have.

I was jolted into reality quite rudely by the buzzing of the washer. The woman's clothes were done. She looked at me smiling slightly, exasperated but trying to be friendly. I just watched as she set the baby down gently, reprimanding her daughter for goofing off in a public place, and switching the clothes. The girl sat down in shame, watching her bubbling baby sibling.

I sighed, switching my own clothes, looking at my watch. I had quick business on the other side of town. It would take half an hour; most of which would be the drive. The woman caught my impatience.

"I can watch your clothes if you have somewhere to go." She offered. Startled I looked at her. "You seem like an important man." She tried to explain, "So I'll watch you clothes for you if you hurry. I should be done in about an hour."

I was torn between asking her how she couldn't know me and my duty, but I managed to reign in my curiosity and thank her before striding to my vehicle and driving to a prissy gated community at the other side of town, far away from cheap Laundromats and crappy shacks where women supported a family of three on their own while working two jobs and crying themselves to sleep wondering how they'll make the next bill and why "he" didn't stay.

I measured up the house. It was huge and white with a perfectly tended garden. Typical. I rang the doorbell, met by a very sultry woman.

"Hello." She purred, "My name is Tiffany, by the way. And this is only because my friends said something about you being good, so I wanted to try it out." She was thin, her breasts were A-cup at least, and her hips couldn't have been more than twenty two inches. Her hair was perfectly blonde, her skin was perfectly tan, her teeth were straight and whiter than white, her skin was as plastically flawless as possible, and the tattoo on her lower thigh was just perfectly tantalizing beneath her almost too short shirt. It was disgusting.

"So," she crooned, pulling me into her house by my tie, "Let's get this over with." She walked into her joint kitchen, opening a drawer and throwing a condom at me, "I want protection, and don't worry; you will be getting my small make up business and a couple of stocks if I find you satisfactory. I'll be back in a minute."

I smiled, what she didn't know was that I already owned her business, I bought it last night, but I did need that stock she was talking about. It could either be sold for millions, or I could keep it and own over fifty percent of the stocks business. Either way I came out more rich.

I put on the condom, grimacing as my pride rebelled against the way I was practically selling my body for money. She walked back into the living room, smelling like some sort of expensive perfume. I had to fight back the urge to gag at the strong scent. I understood that some women needed to feel pretty before they could be sexed, but did they have to bathe in artificial scents?

I watched Tiffany with cold, unfeeling eyes as she began to talk to try and bring the mood. I watched as a minute ticked by, then two. Angered I grabbed her by her shoulders, throwing her against the wall, yanking her underwear down to her knees, thrusting myself into her. Her legs wrapped around me, her chest was heaving. Her eyes were closed as she began to reach her orgasm. I closed my own eyes, gritting my teeth in anger and disgust.

And then she gasped in a girlish way, and Rin came into my mind once again. I kept my eyes closed, this time it was Rin I was taking, not Tiffany. I had to bite my lip to keep from saying her name. _Rin._ I thought, _Beautiful, gorgeous, innocent, sexy Rin. My Rin._ Before I could realize what had happened, Tiffany was gasping before me, her body slack.

I growled in disappointment, removing myself from her body, peeling off the condom, cleaning the fluids off of my limp member. The stench of sex was always overwhelming, but even worse when it was with someone you didn't remotely like, let alone know.

"That was amazing." She gasped her eyes dazed and satisfied. I suppose she didn't know she was talking only for herself. Not only did she not turn me on, but she never even gave me climax. "I-I… would you like my number?"

I buckled my belt. "No."

"Can I have yours?"

"No." I turned to her, "Your stock?"

"No worries there, babe. It's yours. I have to tell my friends how good you were." She sighed, "And there's no way that we could…?"

"No." I reiterated, "I have laundry to check on. Au revior."

I climbed back into my car, feeling the empty depression that consumed me every time I was with another woman. My soul was angry at me, my heart was betrayed. Rin was my soul, my other half, myself. Yet here I was taking an act that I preformed between us sacredly, and turning it into an everyday spectacle.

"I am disgusting." I growled, pulling away in an anger that was becoming more and more like home.

I pulled into the Laundromat, the woman smiling at me, handing me my clothes, folded.

"How nice of you to do your wife's laundry for her! It takes a real man to do stuff like that. You're a real sweetheart!" she smiled, taking the best out of a situation that was worst, probably due to her personal bias opinions from past experiences.

I thanked her, handing her daughter a check that had a large number on it that I'm sure the mother would never have seen, or would ever see again. Then I left, driving back to the house. I was exhausted, never had my day been so out of the ordinary, and I still had the oddest part to deal with when I returned.

The drive was rather uneventful, filled with thoughts of what possibilities I could use the woman for. I could keep her with me just long enough to draw my personal assassins out of hiding and finish them off; I could write her a large check and let her continue with life, I could take her to Inu Yasha and Kagome, who would be better suited for a regular life style for her. I fought a groan as I pulled into the driveway. There were so many options, and she still had no idea what was going on.

I froze with my hands still on the keys to the ignition, over the hum of the motor I could swear I heard music, which was silly because I never listened to the radio. I could also smell the scent of cooking food, though I had almost nothing at home. Youkia my age didn't need to consume much of anything, though I had developed a taste for the occasional treat of some sort of human food. My favorite so far was sweet and sour chicken or Orleans styled shrimp or scampi. Cautiously I stepped out of the car, my ears assaulted by the harsh melody of the radio and the lilting voice that sang with it.

I stalked into the house, the scent of cooking eggs almost knocking me flat on my face. I fought the urge to cover my mouth and nose for the offending scents as I closed the door, hanging my jacket on the peg on the wall. I collected myself, and then walked into the kitchen. And there she was, her hair still damp and stringy, hanging off her shoulders in a darker, almost chestnut color, dancing the best she could in my boxers and a shirt of mine. I snapped off the music, surprised as she continued to sing along for the mille-second pause I allowed before interrupting her. Her voice was remarkably good for being so deep.

"Excuse me." I growled, "But what on Earth are you doing?"

She yelped, spinning around. "S-Sesshomaru? I-I.." her voice trailed off as she turned off the oven, fidgeting with the shirt, attempting to pull it down. "I-I… I was hungry!" A blush scrawled up her neck as she seemed to fight herself between her pride and her thankfulness.

"I can see that." I stood there, excepting a full apology and groveling session from her.

She looked at me, her eyes wide and intimidated. "Do you want some?" She held out the measly amount of scrambled eggs at me.

I closed my eyes, rubbing the bridge of my nose. A nasty human habit I picked up from one of my most trusted colleges. Whenever he was stressed, he immediately placed his thumb and forefinger on either side of the bridge of his nose and scrunched his face. I've overheard many of our female co-workers say how attractive it was when he did it. I've gotten him many girlfriends.

"No. I do not want your eggs." I tried to explain, "I told you not to touch anything… I told you to. Stay. Still!"

She began shuffling through my cabinets for a plate, totally disregarding me. Amazed I watched her dig around, finally reaching over her and grabbing a plate, thrusting it towards her. She smiled, dumping the still hot contents of the pan onto the glass. "Thanks." She smiled, digging in the fridge and pulling out catsup. I watched amazed as she drowned the yellow food in the red dressing.

She looked at me, "So... I heard on the news station that no one in the complex had been fatally wounded. That is impossible, I saw the destruction... No! I was _in_ the explosion." She paused to put some food in her mouth and chew, "Now explain." She said after swallowing, "And where are some real clothes?"

I motioned to the bags in the living room, exasperated. I did not miss having human company one bit. She swallowed the last bite, rinsing the plate off and setting it in the strainer to dry, then rushing into the living room, grabbing the striped bra, the underwear, the nine sized jeans. At this point I was gloating to myself. Everything I had picked out was to her liking.

"What's this?" She asked, holding up the blouse I had picked out.

"It's a shirt." I retorted, "And highly fashionable."

"It's all… gross." She stated, still trying to find the arms pieces.

It was a maroon piece with off the shoulder sleeves, button up, a collar around the throat, a tight waist with an elongated torso. It was a highly recommended article of clothing that women at my work had often praised for its class and its social capabilities. I couldn't find anything wrong with it. But she could.

"I mean… this is nice, probably more than I could ever afford, but this looks so… uncomfortable…" She held it up to herself.

"If you don't like it, try the other shirt." I pointed out, trying not to sound offended. It was nothing but a shirt, nothing but fifty dollars. Basically, for me, it was nothing. However, the other shirt was a different story.

She lifted it, immediately her face lightened. "Now this is style." It was a double layered shirt, the top was a tank hoodie with a pocket, deep v-cut neck, and elongated torso, black with gold stitches. The under shirt was a thermal; grey, very tight with loose cuffs to accentuate the arms and an even longer torso that was somewhat thicker at the bottom with a different style sewing than the rest. It had gold and black moons and suns all over it.

"I'm changing," she announced, grabbing up the clothes, "In the meantime, prepare your speech. I'll be back in a few."


	5. 4 Million

**Chapter 4**

I glanced at the bathroom door the girl was changing in. She'd been in there for a few minutes, and I was beginning to get a bit impatient. No one made Sesshomaru wait, not even a survival victim of mass murder. I sighed quietly, wondering what could be taking so long when she stepped out. At once I admire her figure, for probably the first time since meeting her. She was well bit, thicker than Rin but well built with amazing curves and a great tiny waist.

She smiled uncertiantly, sitting on the arm of the couch, drawing her leg up, her hair a bit more dry, hanging from her shoulders. In that moment she was truly a child, just as lost and scared as... I dismissed my train of thought as I laced my fingers together, reclining. She was a woman who was hoping for the compliment I would never allow myself to give. I looked her in the eyes, "What do you remember?"

She looked at me as though I were odd. "I... remember the bright light and the building collapsing, knocking me unconscious."

I looked at her, a bit startled, "And your roommate?"

"Hmm?" She looked confused, "She was out buying gorceries, wasn't she? She wasn't there when I got home. She... she wasn't there, was she?" She began to become frantic.

I looked at her, "What's your name?"

"I- I am Shilvary Lynn." The worry had not left her eyes, "But most people call me Shives... what happened to Khirsten?"

"Amazing." I murmured into my fingers, looking at this child who was half crazed with fear and worry. "Your mind has erased all information you found too disturbing to deal with. Humans truly are remarkable."

"But what about her?" Shives stood now, her face twisted with worry.

"She is fine, there is no need for you to worry." I averted my eyes for a second, it wasn't really lying if her soul was fine... was it? "Now, there are some things you need to know, and I'd prefer you to be sitting." She took her seat, still worried, but mostly appeased. "I am a demon."

Her eyes shot wide open, "Bull shit."

I looked at her dead pan, staring into her eyes as I would a shakey customer who needed that little "push" to give in.

"You- you're a demon... as in sent from Satan? And I'm in your house... Oh my God! You're not going to like, eat my soul or something right? Who summoned you? Was it Jessika? That bitch has always hated me..."

"No. Now calm down. You watch... oh, what are they called? Anime, right?" She nodded, putting her arms over her chest, crossing her legs, watching me with wary eyes. Her whole body was poised for some sort of tearing open of intestines hell ritual. "I'm that kind of demon, I'm an Inu Demon, a dog demon. I am the Lord of the Western Lands and have lived more lifetimes that you could imagine."

"So... what ever is after me... you... us! What ever is after us is a demon too?" I nodded, "And when I left you, you knew it was a demon? Earlier today, you knew?" Once again I nodded, feeling tension inside of her building. "So you sent a fucking human, frail, easy to kill, on her way not giving a second thought to me?"

I hadn't expected this. Her tone rose, getting angry. She was yelling at me. I had never been yelled at in my life by a mere mortal. "Check your voice, human." And I realized, as her eyes took on a cold gleam, that I had made the wrong move.

"Oh!" She hollered, "So that's it? It's because I'm human, because I'm below you. You in your nice house, with your women and cars and money. Did you think I was not good enough to be chased after by a homicidal maniac who wanted nothing more than blood on it's hands? Did you somehow think that I was not worthy enough to be hunted down? Why? Because I'm poor? Because I'm human? What the Hell is wrong with you, you pompus ass! Because of you, because of me, hundreds of people died- should have died! Did die? And..." she was loosing steam in her voice, the anger instead welling in her eyes, "And I'm so fucking tired of crying you...grrg!" She screamed, wiping at her eyes to no avail, "I really just wanna stab you right now. God, the old woman upstairs... and all those children..." She looked at me with her pitiful face, "How dare you? All because of status."

I calmly watched as she cooled off, glaring at me. "You're right." I agreed, "I didn't put it into thought that the demon would come after you because I assumed you would be unnoticed, most demons ignore humans, they are either collateral damage or nuisances. I had assumed I would be the target and you would be but a fly buzzing around. Apparently, I was wrong."

"How can you be so calm about it? People died because you were wrong!" She looked at me for the first time, seeing me with eyes that had begun to grasp what I was, "How... how can you be so calm?"

"I've done worse." Was my reply. At this moment in time, it might have been harsh, but it was necessary for her to have no false assumptions of what I was capable of, what a demon who no longer thirsted for human demise was able and ready to do. I was terrified of having to explain to her what a demon with no such restraints could do.

"You've..." She looked at me, "My brain is going to explode." she smiled feebely. "I don't think I'm ready for this speech."

I leaned forward, "But you need to be prepared, from the moment your complex was attacked you have been a target that is much easier to kill than I am."

She averted her gaze looking away from me, terrified. I stood, grabbed her chin in my hands, wrenching her to face me. "I will not repeat myself, human."

"My name is Shives." She spat.

"Shives, you are an easy target, and the only reason that my assassinators would attack you, taking enough time to get off my trail and follow you to where you live, waiting for an opportune moment when your senses aren't up means they think you mean something to me."

Her head jerked out of my hands, glaring into my eyes, "Pardon? Why would they think I mean something to you when you obviously think nothing of me? I mean, you left me to be incinerated, and demons don't like humans... right?"

I turned around, unable to face someone as I admitted familial weakness. "On the contrary, my family has a thing for humans. My father was notorious for the death he met trying to save the human mother of my half brother, who in turn fell in love with a modern day human priestess reincarnation."

"Wow." She breathed, "That's so romantic." It startled me, these acts were dispicable and disgusting in my world, "And what about you?" She asked.

"My personal affairs are of no concern to you." I spun back around, my face still and emotionless.

"So... that's a yes?" She prodded, "I mean, come on Sessh. I'm going to pretend to be someone who 'means something' to you, even if it's annoying for us both. I am owed a simple yes or no."

I cocked my eyebrow. "I will be addressed as Sesshomaru. And the reason I don't answer is that a simple confirmation or declination would lead to more questions, more curiosity..."

"Meaninng you're afraid of opening up and being shunned or hurt because, either as a child or adult you have been shunned and pushed aside, thinking you weren't strong enough. This usually stems from rejection of the father, by the way. And since you have a half brother... So, you feel your dad abandoned you for your little brother, and you've always felt insignificant because of it and therefore have always had to pull on the pretense of the unfeeling bastard because you felt you couldn't show emotion. You've got a macho complex!" She smiled wickedly.

I said nothing, just looked at her with possible disdain.

"Pretty much all of that was pulled out of thin air, but it sounds pretty good, and by your response I'm more likely right than not." She hopped off the couch, "So... what do I do now?"

"You are going to have to pretend to be my lover." I fought a grimmace saying those words. She was nothing compared to Rin..._ Who was dead_. I had to remind myself. "I am going to bed, it is late, we must both sleep. You can use the television and shower whenever you feel necessary. I will leave some money on the table for you to buy more food and clothes, there's an extra car in the garage... I assume you have a wallet and a license?"

"Yeah... I have those in my back pack... they were left in my apartment though."

"No, I have them sitting in the passangers seat of the car you can use. It's a Nissan Altima GXE silver with purple detail. Do not mess it up. By the way, you have legally passed this semester of college and now have free time to be helping me catch my killer."

She looked at me, torn between anger and relief.

"I will show you to your room." She followed me down the hall of my bedroom, the clothes she had worn were folded and sitting on my comforter. I opened the door on the right hand side, ushering her into the large room. I had this one decorated in gold with burgandy and silver touches, almost mirror image to my own room except for the picture was of the crescent moon rising in the night sky, the setting was of a forest that was so familiar to my brother and I.

"Oh... wow." She turned to me, "Are you sure I can sleep in here? What if I break... I don't know, the pretty?"

I cocked my eyebrow, "Don't be ridiculous. 'Pretty' can not be broken, and I have no other appropriate rooms. There are some rules, never come into my room without asking permission first, and do not snoop in any of the other rooms. Good night."

I shut the door, listening to her ruffle around in her room, chaning into a pair of sweat pants and a loose wife beater, wiping off my face, when a knock came from my door. I quickly reached for the cover up, but the markings on my arms were already showing, it was no use. I sighed and opened the door, "Yes?"

She stared for a moment, stunned and very attracted. "Umm..." She seemed to snap out of it, "You've got purple on you..."

I resisted the urge to snort, "I am aware." There was a bit of silence as I realized she was waiting for an explaination. "They are my demon markings, though most people believe they are tattoos from my rebellious days."

She nodded, "I need pajamas."

I went to my closet, throwing a shirt at her. It was like a large night gown, and it fit her in a much more sultry way than Tiffany's shirt did. If I was going to be forced to live with this human, I might as well enjoy the view.

"By the way..." She asked quietly before leaving, hanging on the door frame, "How did those people live? Er, survive?"

I watched her leaning there, unsure whether to answer honestly or not.

"You know..." she hesitated, looking away and chewing on her lip momentarily, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Tetsusiaga." I answered, almost too low for her to hear, "The sword you saw me with earlier. It has the power to... to revive people. Just once." I sighed, "I revived all the people in the complex."

"That's amazing. Thanks. You know, for everything." She smiled, then left, giving me one last glance over.

Despite being an unfeeling jerk with a macho complex, her attention was rather flattering. It had been years since a female had looked at me with eyes like that, and intentions that were as pure as they could be, considering she didn't need anything from me. I collapsed onto my bed, not tired, but not awake. The day had gone by so quickly, and this human was so frustratingly bold.

If she wasn't so key to getting at these demons, she would not be in my house. I quickly came to the realization that I didn't like her. "Why?" I asked my self, getting up and putting the clothes she borrowed back into the drawers they belonged in, her scent was robust and very loud, yet soft and feminine at the same time.

"She's confusing, she doesn't submit to me." I answered myself, speaking quietly so as not to awake her across the hall. "She makes me think of..." _love._ "But not with her." I had to amend to myself, "But she makes me miss it... the smell of her, the knowledge I can break her, the same innocence that Rin had when we were first together... Though Rin was by far more knowledgeable than Shives is." I was rambling to myself. Was I so desperate for a companion that I had sunk as low as to converse with and in turn convince a second presence in my head?

I sighed, falling onto the bed again. I glared at the ceiling, how could Sesshomaru be so weak? I made a silent resolution to be as cold to her as I had ever been to a human, ever. After all what is she to me but bait?


	6. 5 Million

**CAUTION: Violence and adult themes. X3 I don't really need to put this, but I like it. It's all fun and important looking.**

**Chapter 5**

I ran through the large hall, reaching for Seshsomaru's doorknob, knowing, yet fearing, what he would say to me. I looked behind me, willing him to open the door. I knew someone was there, following me, trying to get me but I didn't know who... or what. Hesitantly I pounded on the door. I knew he had a woman with him... but this was so important. No one answered, I felt the presence growing somehow, coming for me.

"Sesshomaru!"I yelled, pounding louder, more frantic as I heard the raspy breathing, the sound of shuffling feet approaching. "Please open the door!" I yelled, ignoring the fact his shirt was loose on me and practically falling off, torn down almost half of one whole side. I was aware only of the shuffling, of the fact I should be sleeping, of the fact that something violently threw me from my bed and tried to rip out my throat. "OPEN THE DOOR!"I yelled, grabbing the doorknob and yanking on it in futility.

The harsh breathing was getting louder, death behind it's uneven breaths. It was close enough for me to hear the wetness settled into it's lungs. I struggled against the heavy door, fear building as I felt it draw ever nearer to me. Then I felt it's thin, soft fingers against my neck. In that moment, I knew it was too late. In fear, agony, anger, I spun, looking down the hall. For a moment I was relieved, "Khirsten!" I smiled, walking closer to her, all my fear gone "You are going to think I'm weird, but I totally thought you were a..." I looked closer as she smiled, her teeth were jagged, blood bubbling and pooling, running down her lips. A letter was carved upon her forehead, her skin was bubbled and flayed, her muscles and bone apparent. One of her eye whites was pure red, her arms were dangling off with just a thin shred of skin holding them toegther. Her clothing was covered in blood and wastes.

She smelled of death.

She approached me, drawing me into her arms, against her chest where I yearned for a heart beat, but was rewarded with naught but the raspy, watery intake of breath into her lungs. As an odd thought, in the back of my head, I knew it was blood. "Shives." She whispered, and suddenly we were at a window in Sesshomaru's house.

_It's raining._ I thought as my hair became smattered with drops of the water, the rhythmic pounding growing harder, yet dimmer.

"Shives." She whispered, clutching me to her even tighter, "You left me, Shives."

_Not right..._ I tried to think, I tried to comprehend, but could not. There was something not right. I closed my eyes, sinking into her arms. She was so comfortable, I was so comfortable here, with her. I missed her. Another burst of rain landed in my hair and on my clothes. The pounding of the rain was slowing. It was becoming difficult for me to keep my eyes open.

_Khirsten..._ I thought, slipping away from consciousness and into her. _I'm sorry._ But it felt wrong to apologize. We had known each other twenty years, we never left one another, I knew every intimate detail of her life... so why couldn't I remember why I was apologizing? The warmth of her body encompassed me as I felt myself slipping away... and then something cold jarred me. I struggled to open my mouth, to open my eyes. I looked at Khirsten, whose mouth was pulled away from her teeth, her skin was tight and uncannily pale, her flesh was rotted and molding.

I watched in terror as her eyes lit with a sadistic hunger and sank into her head, then she lunged at me. In a fright I pulled away, and began to fall. I awoke to the sounds of my own screaming. In horror I clasped my chest, my heart pounding against my ribs, my body slick with sweat. I sat, untangling my limbs from my blankets, running my hands through my hair.

"It's... crunchy?" I murmured, which couldn't be right, I had just showered... I stood and opened my door to go to the bathroom, and saw them.

Khirsten's corpse lunging at Sesshomaru, who was poised in the hall with a glowing whip-like yellow thing coming from his fingers. In horror and shock I pressed myself against the wall, watching as every time she lunged for his throat, screeching in an unearthly way, lusting for the blood she wanted, he would rebuke with the flick of his whip noncholantly.

Her body snapped back as he slashed her against the midsection, a small amount of her intestines gleaming in the dim light, blood and wastes dripping onto the carpets. She reared back for another attack, her lower arm ripping from her in the force of the momentum, landing inches away from my feet. I stared in horror as the decrepit thing twitched, the coagulated blood flaking onto the floor, the fingers grey and moldy, the skin falling off.

"Is she dead?" He asked me before I realized he acknowledged my presence. It was then I noticed he hadn't ever glanced towards me, and I wondered how he even knew I was there.

"Yes." I whispered, wathcing in horror as he flicked his wrist, severing her head from her body. There was a light spray of blood showering his wall, her spine hanging from her neck, muscles jaggedly flying behind the now lifeless head like a gory flag. He turned to me.

"You are a prime target now." He watched me gape at him, once again I brought my fingers to my hair. "Apparently, due to our little ruse, they have figured that..." He trailed off, noticing that I wasn't paying attention.

"B-blood?" I felt the tears welling in my eyes.

"Yes." His whip thing had disappeared.

I couldn't say anything as I began brushing my hair faster and faster. I remembered everything all of a sudden. It all came crashing back through my mind; Khirsten's agonized cries, her body imploding on itself. The tears welled and began to spill down my face, "It won't come out." I whispered, taking big handfuls and trying to scrape the blood off, "It's not coming out!" I yelled more frantically, ripping my hair out now. "IT'S NOT COMING OUT!" I screamed, curling into a ball and rocking. I felt him standing near me.

"It wasn't a dream." I whispered.

"No, it wasn't a dream." His voice was calm as ever. I had been with him for three weeks, and already they knew where I was.

"How did they find me? How did they find you? How... God! I thought I'd be safe with you!" I screamed, leaping to my feet and punching him. He grabbed my hands, holding them away from him no matter how much I thrashed.

"I hate you. I hate you." I whispered, "I hate you! I FUCKING HATE YOU!" All the muscles in me collapsed as I fell against him, crying.

He placed his hands gently on my shoulders that were heaving with sobs. He pulled me away uncertaintly. I looked at him, wiping at the tears, waiting for the words he was next going to say, when the stupid brunette walked into the hall.

"Sesshy, baby? What's going on? And who is she!"

He sighed, leading her back into the bedroom, "She's my lover, I suggest you get your stuff and leave us now."

Despite the fact I knew he was lying to protect me, I got shivers everytime he used those words. I guess because I had never been a lover. Every man I had ever been with had either treated me as HIS girlfriend or as HIS fuckbuddy, nothing more than a screw because I thought he loved me, because I had loved him. I sighed, watching him lead her out of the house, making sure the blood in the hallway was unseen by her eyes. I crossed my arms under my breasts, waiting for him to return.

"Are you okay?" He asked. He stood, bare chested in a pair of very short boxers. His silver hair was tousled and his eyes practically glowed in the barely lighted hallway.

I nodded, trying not to look at him. This was becoming more difficult. I watched as he went back into his bedroom, his muscles rippling, his skin was flawless. I wanted to caress it, I wanted to touch him, but I hated his guts. I think that's why, the only reason why I resisted as I followed him curiously.

"Get some sleep, you are coming to work with me tomorrow." He threw a shirt at me, "And you will be my lover... you can't use your name... we have to make one up..."

"Khirsten." I whispered, "My fake name will be Khirsten." He walked with me back out into the hallway. "Or... well..."

He looked at me, and I could almost pretend I saw sorrow and guilt there, "Khirsten Yasha. It does not match well." With that he closed his door.

"Jerk." I whispered, obviously he hated me too. How the hell did he think I could ever get back to sleep after an episode like that? I walked down the hall, into the shower, washing the crusty blood away from my hair, terrified to close my eyes for fear that the image of her dead, lifeless eyes would come back to haunt me. "The dream was real..." I whispered, encasing my own hands around my neck, remembering her touch.

I shuddered. _Maybe Sesshomaru was right... maybe I can't handle this, maybe I should leave._ I spun so the water was streaming over my face, warming my too cold body. At the same time I was wringing the water out of my hair, and that's when I heard his uncomfortable grunt.

"Pardon me." I looked at Sesshomaru, who had barged in without knocking again. I rolled my eyes, this was something that he did about once a day already, and in only three weeks. It was as though personal boundaries didn't exist with this man. I couldn't tell if it was to sneak a peek (which I doubted, he never seemed to be fazed by my nudity) or because he honestly didn't remeber I was there. Which I once again doubted due to the fact he could remember I had a large mole on my neck, my nose was slightly crooked and my left eye was slightly smaller than my right.

I quickly moved to cover myself when he hissed his breath out.

"Don't bother." His eyes narrowed, avoiding my body completely. "You have nothing I haven't seen before."

I growled, stepping out of the shower, yanking the towel from his arms. "I have no idea what I did to you," I growled, "But this isn't the best time to tell me I'm nothing special, alright?"

I slammed the bathroom door shut and strode down the hallway angrily.

"Shives." I heard Sesshomaru growl as I walked away, not bothering to slow or respond.

As I reached my bedroom I could feel him behind me, catching up though his walk was slow and steady. Angrily I spun around and slammed my door in his face. I sighed and sat on the bed for a while before deciding to dress, putting on one of the bras he got me, along with the underwear and his shirt; I buttoned it up. I took a deep breath and could swear the smell of dead energy crackled through the room, or maybe it was my imagination. When I opened my door again, there he was. Boxers, muscles, glorious. Angered and confused I turned right back around and closed my door; furious I had to sleep on my own after everything that had happened.

I pretended to be asleep as he walked into his room across the hall, closing the door softly. I sighed gratefully. The last thing I needed is for him to barge into my room and say something more upsetting than the looks thing. But I had to try and understand it from his point of veiw, he had probably been with thousands of women. I really didn't have anything he hadn't seen before. I sighed, rolling in bed to face the ceiling.

_Has he ever been with a woman, or has he just slept with demon females? I wonder if he's any good..._ I blushed at the thought of his muscular shoulders and arms on either side of me, sweating and gritting his teeth. I was surpised my imagination could even go that route after the freaky incident that happened earlier... But I couldn't make myself stop thinking about how glorious his upper torso would look if he was having sex with me. I squirmed uncomfortably as I felt my body respond to my thoughts accurately.

The door to my bedroom opened suddenly, and there was my fantasy.

He looked down at me as though I were insane, "Why are you in here?"

"Umm... this is the room you gave to me?" I responded, unsure of the correct answer.

He held the door open, "You are sleeping in my bed tonight. The enemy now knows where you sleep, and you are too vunerable to be left on your own with tactics such as golems and ghouls. You need to be somewhere safer."

I slowly rose, "Is that why I'm going to work with you?"

The look in his eyes was answer enough, even if it wasn't he wouldn't have spoken a word to me about it. I sighed, heaving the blankets off of me, "Whatever prick."

I murmured as I walked by him, his eyes followed me with a bit more malice than I ever remembered him giving anyone. He followed me into his room, still glaring.

"Ohh!" I teased, feeling cocky and probably out of my mind as well, "You do feel! Shocking, when is this touching moment going to end?"

I felt before I saw his hand on my shoulder, shoving me in the general direction of the bed. I stumbled, my cocksure attitude turning to one of fear. I should realize how pwerful he was, I should respect him,_ He has saved my life multiple times. _I tried to remind myself. _But he is such an arrogant bastard!_

And, at the moment, the devil on my shoulder was far outweighing the angel. I hitched one of my legs up, showing more skin than I would ever have, had I been aware of myself, "The bed? I don't think I'm ready for that." I giggled as his face went stony again. "That's my Sesshomaru." And it was. The look on his face was one that I was beginning to know and trace with my eyes closed. The fact that I could was frightening me though. He motioned to the bed, not uttering a word, my heart raced. In any other situation that would have been utterly sexy.

I crawled into the blankets, curling into a ball, feeling his weight add to the matress. I fell asleep inches away from someone I either hated with all my soul, or was beginning to fall in love with.


	7. 6 Million

**Chapter 6**

It was so dark. All around me was nothing but darkness. It was consuming, leeching into my soul- my body. And then there she was. Her beautiful hair, cascading like she was born royalty, her beautiful brown eyes, like a does, large and warm and soft. They were meant for me. They always had been. I smiled, closing the distance between us quicker than I could remember ever moving for someone before.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The young woman smiled up at me, "I love you."

I collapsed into her embrace, feeling her warmth more than anything else. Her delicate fragile human smell filled the room. Her skin, tanned from years of travel, was soft and delicate, just like the rest of her. I felt the warmth flooding my heart as her words sunk in.

_Just like Rin._ I thought. The only woman who ever broke through my defenses, the only woman, the ony creature on the planet I felt any real love, any true and tender love for. I bent to kiss her, just one last time feel her supple, soft lips against mine. Just one last time to know that what I did to her was okay, that she didn't hate me for the isolation I caused between them. As my lips touched hers I frowned. The texture was wrong, the taste was off... I jumped awake, looking down into the shocked eyes of my current bedmate. Her deep green eyes stared back into mine, confused and excited. This was not what I wanted, I wanted...

_Something I can't have._ I berated myself.

Sullen, broken hearted I pulled away, hoping that she would not think me to be taking advantage of her in such a way.

I felt her move, overly aware of her scent, of the way her body pressed and molded against mine when we had kissed. I knew I was too emotional, too raw to deal with this woman right now. Then to my surprise, she sat beside me, a respectable distance away. Looking shyly from hooded eyes, she posed her question.

"Who's Rin?"

The simple statement tore through my heart. "She is none of your concern, human." I stood, hoping the distance between them would ward off any further questions, any further pain.

I felt her eyes upon me. I knew her tousled hair would be gleaming in the sunlight, bright red and copper highlights brightening my drab, extravagant room. Aggravatingly enough, I also felt her resolve. Humans could be so stubborn.

"When you kissed me you made it my business, no! _My_ concern Sesshomaru Yasha." The biting tone in her voice almost made me smile.

"She was a woman I loved, long ago. The only woman I took as my mate."

"So... she was the only woman you were with way back when?" The shock in her voice was almost too much.

"No, I was with other women, but she was the only one I wanted for forever." I tried to keep the sadness out of my voice. I knew I had failed when I caught her infuriatingly pitying glance in the mirror.

"She was your human lover, wasn't she?"

"Yes. She was loyal to the core, she realized she loved me before I could even register that my feelings for her were more than master and servant or underling should be. I never understood how difficult it must have been for my father, the respect he lost when he took Inu Yashas mother to his bed. I had to fight harder than ever before," a smile tugged at my mouth as a distant memory whisked me away, "But Rin was worth it. She was more than worth it."

"What happened?"

"She died." I shrugged, pulling away from the counter I had been leaning on, "She began to age, and being the vain, stupid, cowardly demon I am, I shoved her her to live in a little village not too far from my estates... Her frailty was the undoing of my strength. I feared her death and thought if we were separated I would not have to deal with such a thing. I was wrong, however. And she stopped loving me. I caused her many nights of sleeplessness, many nights of pain. I cannot blame her for what she did... She took another man, a human man, to ease her pain. They married, had a child. Had children. And there I was, on the outside looking at the one I loved give herself to another, grow old with another, have a family," The word came out as a strained whisper, fighting the tears, the sorrow I had been running away from for so long was crashing around me like the deepest part of the ocean, "And I was too cowardly to enjoy a life with her. I watched her hair turn silver, I watched her face wrinkle, I watched her toil on a farm with that undeserving man by her side. I watched them laugh, and love. I heard her cry at night... for me. And I knew I could never do that again. I could never..."

I stopped suddenly aware that I had been pacing like a caged dog. My hands grasped the table before my bed so hard it snapped in three. I heard Shives gasp, I smelled her pain, her sympathy. For me. For this unworthy Lord. "Do not pity me, human. I have made many choices in this life. Most I regret. This is but another one."

I stormed away not waiting for a word out of the creature. I couldn't bare to hear what she had to say.

Shives sat upon the bed, a look of despair upon her face. "No, it's not the same as other regrets." She whispered, "Love is never the same."

Slowly she got out of the warm, comfortable bed. _Almost too comfortable_. She frowned, knowing exactly what Sesshomaru had in mind when he purchased the product. She followed the man down the hall. So his ex moved on, that hardly seems reason to hold a grudge, that doesn't seem at all enough reason to still, after how many years, let this regret have a strangle hold on him.

"Sesshomaru?" She called out, "Sesshomaru!"

Shives found him in the kitchen, all muscle and gorgeous glory. The purple markings traveled across his body in a tantalizing way, a way that made her want to explore... She blushed, _Not the time for sexual fantasies._ She reprimanded.

"Why does it still hurt you that she loved another man?" She pulled herself onto a counter top.

I sighed, glancing her over. "You humans have short life spans," I began, "When you are betrayed you grieve and move on. You have to. It's survival. However, youkai live forever, and I don't have the luxury of just forgiving myself for betraying, hurting the only woman I wanted by my side for the rest of my life. For the rest of eternity. I have had centuries to retrace my steps, to know where I went wrong. I know what I did, I know my part in her demise. I know my brother and his wife are expecting their second cihld and I am still alone. I will always be alone. It is my path, and I alone am the one who paved it." I shifted positions slightly, facing the girl more head on, "A demons love could come to a pinnacle hundreds of years _after_ the human has died and her great grandchildren are realizing their true loves. Our anger just begins to fade when an empire has been borne, realized maturity, and fallen. Humans are wisps of vapor in the wind while we are the wind. It takes hours, days for an emotion to crest and pass through your bodies."

Suddenly I felt her touching me. Startled at the light fingertips tracing my body, I turned and caught her hand. She looked at me, smiling gently. "I know that a lot has happened these last few days, I know that your behavior is extremely... out of character right now, and so is mine. I know that the events of this week are beginning to change me... to change you." Her hand paused at my neck, her eyes searched mine for the reassurance she needed. For the permission to continue, and I wondered, even for a split second, what it would be like to once again lay with a woman who was interested in more than my power. To be with a woman who had come to want me for me, to see the hurt and want to heal it.

I grabbed her hand in mine, kissed her cheek, her forehead, her nose, her mouth. When she returned the kiss passionately, the sensations hidden so long inside of me finally erupted. I forgot what it was like to feel passion for another being, I forgot what it was like to want someone, to need someone.

Panting I pulled away, the smoldering in her eyes was promising torture enough to last lifetimes. I wanted to burn that image, the image of her eyes, of her apparent need of me in my mind, right beside the calm, sweet eyes of Rins.

"Humans." I chuckled, walking away, "They are so passionate."

She frowned, "Now what do I do?"

"Get ready," I growled, "We have an assassin to catch."

* * *

Hours later they were standing in an elevator. I could sense the nervousness floating off the human in such powerful waves I was sure even the humans could smell it. I grabbed her hand.

"Relax." I commanded, and she did. That simple command, the simple way she obeyed. It reminded me... it reminded me of...

_She was kneeling in front of me, begging my forgivness. "Sesshomaru-sama... I know it is not this ones place, but this one must speak with you."_

_"Of course Rin." I sat before her on an ornate cushion, my kimono casually thrown around me, my chest showing, the beautiful silks caressing my skin with every movement. I had enjoyed Rin and her company. Welcome breaks to the tedious tasks of ruling the Western Lands and unruly demons. I smiled at her, my little Rin. The most loyal, dutiful servant I had. If I didn't know better, I would have claimed her part dog demon as well. It was no mystery her beauty had the most daring demons, and the most fool hadry humans braving my territory to ask for her hand, or her servitude._

_She was well past the age of marriage, now a bright blossoming 17. But somehow I never could manage to allow them to have her. After all, she was mine._

_"I... I must discuss something with you, and I am afraid you will send me away." She continued, interrupting my thoughts with her lilting voice, melodic and familiar, though somehow different, "Sesshomaru-sama, does this one have permission to speak openly?"_

_I nodded, "Of course Rin." Now I was curious, she never asked to speak openly, in fact, she hardly spoke unless it was late at night and we were reading to one another. I loved the way her voice displayed the emotions of the written word, as well as portraying her own emotions at the same time._

_She stopped her bowing. She sat straight up and looked me in the eye, something there began to stir me in a different way than usual. This Rin did not look like my little Rin. She looked-_

_"Sesshomaru," she referred to me by my given name, declaring us as equals in the sanctuary of our private meeting, "I am now a woman, three years past the age o f marriage. I want none of them that have come asking for me." As she spoke she began undressing herself, letting down her hair, untying her servants garb, a flimsy garment to begin with, suited only for chores._

_I knew what she wanted right then; I knew what I wanted._

_"I want you, Sesshomaru. You are the only one I have ever wanted, from the youngest age you were always the man I dreamed of marrying. You were my hero in every sense of the word. I would love nothing more than, at least once, to feel your touch. To know what it means to be loved by the Lord of the Western Lands."_

_She sat before me, completely bare now. Her breasts heaved with her nervous breaths, her skin gleamed in the moonlight filtering through my windows. I could do nothing more than stare. She was perfect, she was everything. I couldn't control my erection, nor the flow of male driven demonic power coursing through me excitedly._

_"Come." I commanded, struggling to show no emotion, "come to me." My voice more gentle than I thought it should have been._

_She obeyed, standing, slipping her clothes the rest of the way off, her womanhood masked in the curls of puberty, the sweet scent of what waited for me drifted through my room, intoxicated my senses in a way I had never before experienced. She sat, straddling me, her legs on either side, gently she twined my fingers in her hair, pulling her close, pressing her body against mine, and kissed her. For the first time in my life I kissed her lips._

_The sweet taste of her mouth erupted around me, gently I had coaxed her lips apart, teasing her tongue. My fingers worked their way down her spine, and she shivered. She responded then, wraping her arms around my neck, bringing herself closer to me, whimpering with an unseen need. I lost my self control as she whispered in his ear._

_"Take me, take me now."_

I smiled at the memory, as dear and soft to me as a child must be to his mother. The night we had first made love, I learned how wild and unpredictable my Rin was, and how badly she loved me. In turn, I realized she was the only woman I wanted. After we had been together, I remembered wondering if it was something just passed down in the family. If my father felt this way for Inu Yasha's mother, if Inu Yasha felt this way for Kagome. I had stroked the long hair that splayed across my chest, listening to the rhythmic breathing of my beloved.

I chuckled at the sweetness, the fondness of which I still thought of the long dead woman. Shives looked at me curiously, wondering what made me smile.

I caught her gaze, and wondered, if even for a moment, I could love this woman as well.


	8. 7 Million

**Chapter 7 **

**EDIT: Please bare with me, I can't see a thing on my screen. Only 3 more chapters and one Epilogue to go!**

The conference room was, as everything else Sesshomaru touched, plain, yet extravagant. Tall dark chairs that swiveled and tilted lined the dark obsidian table. Heavy curtains hung over roof to wall windows, that paint was a solid color, with bright paintings lining the walls. Some were country scenes, while others depicted the ocean, and night life of busy cities. In the middle of the table, carved out of amethyst, was a crescent moon, the same shape Shives had seen on Sesshomaru's forehead during the early mornings.

"Who are we waiting for?" She squeaked out, seemingly intimidated by the large, official room.

Sesshomaru unfolded his fingers, opening his eyes and letting out an almost luminous glare to her. She shivered, he hadn't worn his contacts and the fulll force of his gorgeous eyes was... intoxicating. His eyes were unsettled, swirling with emotion. She could only bet she had roused him from yet another one of his day dreams. _Or was it a memory? _She wondered.

"You will see." He stated, back to his calm self.

She leaned back in the chair, calmly evaluating the last few weeks. Three attacks, none fatal, four different bombings, also non-fatal, baiting and chasing. Somehow she felt as though the people after Sesshomaru were trying to get him to do something... but what?

Almost a month of being completely dependent upon a demon of a man. No wonder she fancied herself in love. No other man could come close to his power, or his looks. Something about the way he glanced at her, even now, screamed danger. But it was so inviting, so deliciously tantalizing. Almost against her will she rose, thinking a smile was playing on the corners of the mans mouth. She calmly walked over to him, he leaned back in his chair.

For a moment neither one did a thing but look into the other persons eyes. Slowly she let her hand settle atop his, trying to see how far this would go, how far the could go. His fingers intertwined with hers, making her heart thud in her chest, she felt as though the world stopped and smiled upon them, and them alone. She leaned forward as he bent towards her, and their mouths collided in a kiss much like earlier that morning, but both were fully aware of whom they were with.

Stunned Sesshomaru pulled back a little. She tasted so different than she had this very same morning, all eagerness, impatience and that ever imposing human frailty. He closed his eyes, pulled away, though it was the last thing his body wanted to do. "Go and sit now." He commanded gently.

She frowned, the pout she wore made him want to bite her lower lip, to ravage that body of hers, that illing, succulent body until she couldn't move. But she left him instead of giving in to his mental impulses. He speculated on how impending death and the allure danger, made everything seem less important. Normally he never would have confided in her normally he could control his memories, but today alone he had been caught lost to four different day dreams of his first love. Of Rin.

The first time she had been with child, Sesshomarus, and lost it. The doctor he had brought in said her body just could not handle the strain of children, especially not one as powerful and rambunctious as the child of a demon lord. The day he forced her to move away, the tears she shed sliced his heart to ribbons. He could never, would never forgive himself the pain he caused her. The day she had her wedding, and married a drunken no body from that godforsaken town, and the biggest slap in the face, the day she had that mans child. A squalling, pink faced little girl.

The thought had made him want to break something, someone. She had laid with another man, and she had let that man explore the parts of her that were meant for Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru alone. When he was done he would leave and go to town, to drink. She always cried. Some nights silently to herself, other nights violently. Letting Sesshomaru know it was his fault, let him know he did this to her, let him know how much she hated him. He would have gone back, he would have rescued her had she not been so adamant about hating him, about never wanting to see him, about the fact she wished he had let her die that night when she was a child. The night he gave her her voice back.

He should have known better. He should have gone down and stolen her back from the Hell he put her in, he should have faced her aging, and eventually her death with the bravery of a demon lord. He should have ravaged her body and claimed her back even with the tears still wet on her cheeks. He sighed inaudibly, there were many things he wish he could undo, he could change. How odd that the one woman he loved he threw away, never knowing what she meant to him. Never realizing, until it was too late to know.

A knock on the door roused the man from his musings, "Come in." He demanded.

A young girl bounded in, his niece, followed closely by a striding Inu Yasha and a waddling Kagome. He liked how women looked when they were with child. The life that bloomed inside of them made their skin glow, despite what the actual woman thought of her condition.

"Hey missy, get back here." Inu Yasha scolded his daughter, "I thought I told you to stay with the man outside." He looked at Kagome, Shives and Sesshomaru, "I'll be right back. I need to return this."

They left in a squeal of laughter and raspberries. Kagome smiled her soft smile, being a mother had changed her somehow, she seemed to know things others couldn't. Or maybe that was her reincarnation taking over, "Sesshomaru." She greeted, "And you are...?"

Shives stood up, quickly closing the distance between herself and Kagome, "I'm Shives, do you want to sit?"

"No, she grinned, "I won't be staying long. I just need to make sure we have your sleeping arrangements in order before Sesshomaru and I nu Yasha leave."

Shives was shocked._ Sesshomaru never mentioned that I would be somewhere else..._ She glanced towards the mn, who didn't meet her gaze either because he didn't notice she looked at him or because he was avoiding her accusing glare.

Inu Yasha stepped back in the room, "Shives, I'm Inu Yasha, Sesshomarus half brother. Nice to finally meet you." He shook her hand.

Sesshomaru leaned forward, "Now Shives, we're going to leave you with Kagome and the children while my brother and I kill my-our attackers. You will be staying at the inherited shrine in Japan."

"Japan?" She yelped, obviously shocked.

"Yes, Japan. Where do you think we're from?" Kagome smiled.

"But..."

"We travel here often." Inu Yasha explained. "Sesshomaru usually picks up our plane tab. There are a lot of demons in the world that still try to turn this modernized world into a feudal world, afraid of the power humans have, and yearning for the power they once had. "

"Huh." Shives smiled, nodding her head hollowly.

"Now," Sesshomaru stood, "No time to wait brother, they're here. They know we've figured them out. I suggest moving to a safe location, all of us." His eyes narrowed at the human girl.

Kagome nodded, grabbing Shives hand, "The only reason Sesshomaru is sending you with me is because he wants you to be safe. I haven't seen him care of a person this much in a long time. Not even our baby could melt that icy heart."The words were almost bitter.

"Huh." Shives stated, completely lost, though a warmth trickled through her knowing that, if nothing else, Sesshomaru cared. And better yet, he cared about her.

Inu Yasha watched the women walk away, "Hey Sesshomaru, I haven't seen you get in a huff over someone like this in a while. Do you love her?"

All the older brother did was sigh in return.

"I hope so," Inu Yasha continued, ignoring the older mans shut down, "Because it seems she's fallen in love with you."

Sesshomaru paused mid-step, why he wasn't completely sure, but hearing that someone cared for him made him feel... something he hadn't felt in a long time. Something like... meaning and purpose. "How odd." He muttered, causing he half demon to look at him. "According to my sources they should be twenty miles to the west of here, LA... but I feel their presence right here."

His younger brother nodded as he removed the cap, his ears searching, his nose sniffing, "I smell something foul as well. DO you think it could be a lackey?" He asked as they entered the parking garage, striding quickly towards Sesshomarus vehicle. If they could make it into the car they could lead who ever was following away from civilians, if they could just reach it...

"Duck!" Kagome yelled, standing behind the boys, both of whom turned in shock as her sacred arrow peeled through the sky above their bent heads, straight towards a human form.

Shives gasped at the person standing before them, calmly holding the glowing arrow in his hand before snapping it in half and tossing it to the ground. He was handsome, and one of her ex's. "James..." She whispered.

Sesshomaru heard the word escape Shives mouth, the humans mouth, _his_ humans mouth. His gaze hardened as he glared at the form before him. The man was wearing a very light blue suit, his blond hair cropped short and spiked. His green eyes danced with sadistic joy.

"Oh my beautiful tiger." He mocked, the sound of his voice too musical for the danger his form belied, "I never thought you'd bed another demon aside from myself. It's truly heartbreak."

"We never slept together James. I was a stupid little girl who thought you were everything. You certainly had everything, the cars, the house, the ego, and the obedient women who slept with you behind my back." The anger and hurt in her voice cut through the air like a weapon.

"Come now, sweetling," James form began to twist, mutilate, wing sprouting through the flesh that had been there, fangs widening the human mouth into a grotesque leer, five eyes of the same green glared at the group before him, "You can't do better than this!"

A bright light exploded through the car port, blasting Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru back inches, Kagome and Shives were lifted off their feet, Kagome fell against a car, hitting her head, Shives flew into a heavy, thick pillar, both women were unconscious. Car alarms were going off, vehicle windows were smashed, and one womans little lap dog locked in a car somewhere was going nuts.

Inu Yasha grinned without mirth, "I knew I smelled filth."

"Now now!" The insect spat, his dragon fly like wings beating against each other furiously, causing a high pitched and constant buzzing to fill the large space around them. "We don;t want the women any more damaged do we? I even see that one is pregnant. The other looks, and I know she is, a succulant little treat. How marvelous to finally be able to eat her."

Sesshomaru growled, "You can't touch her."

"Oh ho!" James smiled, his mouth spreading even further, "Well now, I can see we have your attention Master Yasha." The bug bowed mockingly.

"What do you want?" Inu Yasha snapped, always the impatient one.

James sighed, "I can see you're not one for games, so I'll be frank. We want you both dead. However my boss told me I couldn't kill you, he wanted that pleasure. I'm just here to issue the challenge. Noon, LAX. Bring your women. If they aren't there, nd if you aren't, we will blow up the entire airport, and snack on the souls waiting for harvest, understood?"

Neither man had a choice.

"Good. Till then chaps!" And he was gone.

Later that evening Kagome and Inu Yasha found themselves at a very nice hotel, enjoyig time alone while their daughter was back in Japan with grandma and Uncle Sota.

"Do you have any idea who those men are?" Kagome asked, clinging to her husband.

"No." He grumped, "But the bastards want you guys there, which means they're cowards and will play dirty." He sighed, wrapping his arms around his woman, peppering her face with sweet kisses, "I pray for a day when there's finally peace."

"As do I," she sighed, enjoying the affection, worried for tomorrow, "As do I."


	9. 8 Million

**Chapter 8**

**AN Sex! Only took three months to write this damn chapter.**

Sesshomaru glared through yellow eyes at the woman who was pacing the floor before him. She had just gotten out of a three hour bath that was an excuse to cry, listen to sadistically sad music, and eat chocolate. Though he refused to admit it out loud, it bothered him deeply that his human- for that's what she was- was that hurt and preoccupied by a man she had been with years prior. Sesshomaru stopped himself short.

_My human?_ He snorted, ignoring the look Shives gave him. Well, what else could she be after the months they had spent together, after him saving her life numerous times... after the intimate moments they had shared? He looked at the girl, who had finally ceased her pacing and had taken up residence at the end of the large hotel bed encamped with over stuffed pillows and various cookies. He watched, semi amused, as she struggled to pull the comforter around her and grab for the remote simultaneously. Already knowing the outcome of her efforts, he still felt a smile on his face as the remote fell to the ground. His eyes strayed to her face, the anger that twisted her features. An anger that was now directed towards him.

"Well!" She huffed, "Grab it for me!"

He sat, reclining further into his chair, "Did seeing James really effect you so strongly?" The emotion that gripped his heart couldn't be jealousy... could it?

She smiled, "No!" He raised a brow as she inspected his face more closely. At the end of her inspection she stood from the bed, crossing the floor, kneeling at his feet she grabbed his hands. She looked up at him, at the shock that splayed across his features. "You know... and this has nothing to do with why I'm moody, but I can actually see your emotions now. Before it looked like nothing phased you. You were never scared, never happy, nothing! But now that I've come to know you more... intimately," The blush the crossed her features made Sesshomaru's heart leap, "I can see every emotion as clearly as I can see the lines on my hands." She reached up, her soft hand caressed his hair from his face, he grasped it desperately. She smiled, "No... I was upset because, for the first time, I have seen the face of the person who has been hunting you and I for so long... I have finally felt, for the first time, that you may be injured... or worse... die."

Sesshomaru smiled as he watched the tears fill her eyes, "To many I have no emotions... I loved a woman once, Rin. She was my everything, she took my pain, she humbled me, introduced me to a world that my pride and ego had never let me experience. Yet, for as proud of a Demon Lord I was I turned her away when age threatened to break my heart forever. She married another man, had his children, was buried beside his tombstone. She cursed my name till her dying day, and I deserved it for being such a coward- running from the inevitable, allowing her to face death alone."

Shives lifted herself into Sesshomarus lap, "You were scared, and young. That was many years ago and, had you never done so, she never would have had children." Sesshomaru pressed her head against his chest. "Do you know where her descendants are?"

"Mm." He nodded, turning his face from her gaze, "Her last living direct descendant is a female, some years in age. She lives with another female, her chosen life mate."

"This makes you sad."

"Of course it does. She, in all honesty, was the one person I've ever loved."

Shives sat upon Sesshomarus lap, pressing further into him, dwelling on what he just said. _If Rin was the only one he's ever loved... then... then what about-?_

"What am I to you, Lord Sesshomaru?"

She felt him stiffen beneath her, his hearts pounding suddenly sped just a little. She sighed, feeling herself wilt beneath the knowledge that she may be nothing more than a pretty girl who could be used for other purposes when she felt him pull her away, "You are someone I'm interested in." His answer brought a snort from the girl, "No, don't act like that!" He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, "I don't know how I feel for you! You enchant me, tempt me, frustrate me... You're eyes are so green right now I feel as though I could fall into them, your skin is so soft and warm, your hair looks as though it's fire trapped into every strand, and your lips..."

Shives felt a shiver run through her body as his gaze intensified, resting on her mouth. She fought a smile as his eyes came back to hers, the fire burning in them made her body feel as though butterflies were dancing in her veins, a warmth spread through her stomach and settled at her core. The kiss was strong, needy, questioning. His hand grasped at the back of her head, forcing their kiss further into intensity. When he licked her bottom lip she felt as though she would explode from desire. When they finally pulled apart his face was flushed and he was fully erect.

Shives smiled, "Has it been a while?"

"Since I've been with a woman? No. Since I've _wanted_ to be with a woman... yes. Years... so long..." He whispered into her ear, slowly unbuttoning the shirt she was wearing, "So long. I want you so bad."

Shives giggled, aware of the way she looked in the lamp light, now nearly naked but for a pair of underwear. Slowly Sesshomaru stood, carrying Shives to the bed and setting her there. "Exquisite. I forgot how beautiful the frailty of human women could be."

"Oh did you?" Shives scoffed, "Could you maybe narrow that down to just me?"

Sesshomaru smiled, peeling off his shirt, a tingle went through his groin as he heard Shives pleased gasp. She had never seen him completely naked before, the thought gave him a lusty pleasure than enhanced his excitement. He leaned over her, a thought crossing his mind that he doubted but wasn't sure.

"Shives... are you a-a"

"Yes." The woman blushed, "Don't get me wrong, I've had oral sex before, I can give a mean bj... but I've never actually gone all the way. I know, cliche and lame but I wanted to get through college before having sex."

"Not lame." He smiled, nibbling a trail from just below her ear to her collar bone, licking the length of her neck. "Very sexy."

She shuddered as his eyes seemed to glow red against the dim lighting of the room. "Red, huh?" she gasped as he set his mouth to her nipples, biting, sucking and licking.

He moaned an agreement as her hands went to work in getting his pants off. "D-damn buttons!" She hissed, he chuckled then, a deep gorgeous thing that vibrated through her body, making her all the more eager for him. She watched entranced as he took off his pants and stepped out of his boxers. Amazed she smiled, "Silver pubic hair. I guess that should figure."

He grinned, sliding one nail along her stomach, catching it on the hem of her underwear, "And what color do we have going on down here?" He mused aloud, all too aware of her growing desperation and wetness, "Will it be dark brown? Red? Do you shave everything off? I hope not, I hate feeling as though I'm fucking a twelve year old."

She laughed, her breasts bouncing provocatively as she did so. He felt a rush of excitement as he stripped her underwear off, "Ah, dark brown. How lovely." He watched her watching him in amusement as he lowered his mouth to her womanhood, she lurched at the first touch of his tongue. Shives felt the heat rising and falling as she gave way to the pleasure he was performing for her, feeling the orgasm building up, pushing her over the edge. She grabbed his hair, giving out little yelps as she came.

Sesshomaru rose from the edge of the bed, pushing himself on top of her, "You look so beautiful." She was flushed, her body glowing from excitement... excitement that he was giving her, excitement that he felt as well. She smiled, wickedly and he felt tingles all over.

She hooked her foot behind his knee and flipped over him, a move she was sure never would have worked had he not been other wise distracted. She kissed a trail to his erection, taking it into her mouth she felt his tense and gasp at the things she was doing with her tongue, pleased, she brought herself over him, he dragged her into a possessive kiss as he thrust into her, capturing the gasp she let out.

He released her mouth as she semi-curled over him, "Sorry, Love. There was no easy way to do that."

They lay there momentarily, with him inside of her, joined as one while she recuperated. "Did you mean it?" She whispered, placing her head in her palms, looking him in the eye, "When you called me 'love'. Did you mean it?"

Startled, not really recalling that he had done so, he searched his heart momentarily, looking into her eyes, feeling her around him, seeing her touching him. It was then he realized that... "Yes. I meant it. I... I love you."

Her smile was ear to ear, in that moment Sesshomaru flipped her over, peppering her face with kisses as he thrust in and out of her body, bringing himself to climax. She gasped as she felt the hot liquid stream into her body.

"Is that it?" She smiled.

"You know it's not, you little shit." He responded, once again thrusting her body, lifting her hips so that his manhood was stroking a different bundle of nerves, watching in pleasure as her hands began clawing at him, her eyes opened wide in shock, then half closed in pleasure as her mouth parted seductively, invitingly. He brought his mouth to hers, plunged his tongue into the warm, wet cavity, capturing her moans as she found orgasm, her nails clawing into his back, her legs wrapped around his body, meeting his every thrust with one of her own. He stifled a shocked gasp as he felt his body come again.

When she had finally finished shuddering, she wrapped her arms around him as they collapsed, side by side, onto the large bed. They looked into one anothers eyes, not saying anything, green clashing with yellow. She smiled as he fell into sleep, her following closely behind him.


End file.
